"We should have f**ked more," regret world's greatest songwriters.

A new survey of leading songwriters from the last 50 years by Rolling Stone magazine reveals startling insights into how the greatest lyricists of our times now thoroughly regret the lack of expletives in their work.

"In those days it just wasn't acceptable," noted Paul McCartney "But, I often reflect on how much better songs like 'I wanna hold your fucking hand' and 'A fucking hard day's night' would have been compared to the crap John and I actually wrote."

In similar vein, Bruce Springsteen, arguably America's greatest ever songster, commented, "I really think I missed out. My songs have always been about telling it as it is, I just wish I'd had the courage and integrity of today's songwriters to throw the word "fuck" regularly into my lyrics. It adds so much texture and depth. By contrast, our generation of writers seems tame and insipid - maybe it really is time for us to just f-f-fade away."

"Don't be fooled," warns Paul Simon, "It's really not as easy or banale as it looks to indiscriminately explete. When I look at the great songwriters of today like Pink, Cee Lo, Lily Allen and that guy Danny from the Script, I just can't help thinking - this really is fucking awesome."

Maybe 'I told thousands of attractive girls I wanted to hold their hand and then they did just that,' moaned Paul McCartney, who is now well over 64. 'And to think they were all frothing at the gash for me. What an unambitious fool I was.'

Yes, except the point of the story was the increasing use of the "F" word in songs of the day.....if there's a disconnect with the headline, then it's the headline that's the problem - but too late now anyway !!